I'll See You?
by Cally Starkiller
Summary: Shepard can't let her go. Not in the middle of battle. Not so near the end. Not when he finally got to know her. Miranda can't have that. "I'll see you Miss Lawson?"-Shepard Rated T to be safe. Miranda's POV.


The human larva Reaper apparently wasn't going down without a fight. Its eye glowing I ducked for cover. Then Harbinger arrived. I stood up immediately and my shield flickered and dissipated. I cursed and continued firing, providing covering fire for Shepard's turian friend. "Damn shield…", I muttered quietly.

Finally, my shield was slowly recharging but a stinging pain hit me. I gulped and my black hair swooshed in front of me. Unconsciously my hand covered the wound. I bit my lip in pain and looked up to see Shepard staring at me. "It's fine Commander. It's fine…" Shepard gave me a small smile that said more than it meant. I slightly smiled back as well. Shepard's been different since that night…

I shook my head and concentrated on the fight not the wound. The injury would have to wait for later. _'Besides,_' I thought grimly, '_there's no more medigel left to spare.'_

Throughout fighting the larva mini human Reaper or whatever the hell that thing is, the pain was excruciating. It took everything not to bend over in pain in front of Shepard. '_Shepard'_, I thought, '_You can't ever see me like this…ever.'_

Then the 'thing' collapsed as Shepard took the last shot. He grinned wildly at me and I couldn't help but grin back. He set up the charges and the Illusive Man 'pinged' me. "Shepard the Illusive Man wants to talk to you."

"Shepard…" As the Illusive Man made his proposition I was staring at Shepard the whole time. His face was focused and seemed to be getting irritated by the minute.

"I am blowing up this ship whether you like it or not." Shepard's voice was strong and firm. He really was serious.

A grunt of pain as I moved closer, "I'm resigning from Cerberus."

Shepard whirled around to face me, small evidence of surprise hidden on his face. It was either surprise from me resigning or the dripping blood flowing down out of my hands. It was both. "Miranda…" His look said why-didn't-you-tell-me-you-bleeding? And also I-can't-believe-you're-resigning-from-Cerberus.

"No…" I grunted once more. The pain was killing me. "Set the charges." Shepard was staring at me like I was dying. I was. "Now damn it!"

He whirled around and set them. Then the ground shook. "Ah! Run!" I winced once more before Shepard took me by the hand and somehow lifted me into his arms bridal style. I bit my lip to hold back the yelp of protest. Then the floor panels started breaking apart. We fell. I started sliding back and the floor skidded across my wound, making it worse. "Agh!"

The pain intensified. My hair got in my face making my vision black. Then I heard him. "Miranda!"

Between strands of hair, I saw Shepard sliding toward me with his hand outward. I stuck mine further out, hoping to brush against his hand once more before I die. I accepted that I was dying, and had gotten to experience someone like Shepard. Oh Shepard…

My hair blew away as I held onto the side of the floor panel. I was ready to let go before Shepard's hand grabbed tightly onto mine. I gasped and was shifted forward into the air once more. The panel jerked back, causing his turian friend to fly back, but regain his balance. Minutes later, everything was black again. Not my hair's fault though…

A pressuring weight held against me, preventing my escape. I turned my head slowly and saw Shepard making his way toward me. I smiled grimly. He jerked away the debris and I could feel the blood on my fingers. It had soaked through the tough fabric. Yep…definitely dying. At least I did my part for humanity…for what I believed in. I tried.

I was picked up again bridal style by Shepard and twisted around to see the turian staring at my waist. The blood was dripping even faster onto the ground and Shepard's armor. It became even harder to think. "Did the ground team make it?"

Seconds later, we were running, the turian in front of us. I was slowing Shepard down. I can't let him die. I spent too much of my time into him just to let him die. As we reached the end, I saw the Normandy. Joker's "baby". I chuckled. Oh I was getting delirious. When the turian made the jump, one of the stands broke off making the Normandy jerk back. The gap between the Normandy and us was too far. He can't jump that with me in his arms.

"Let me down." My voice was just a whisper but he still heard me.

"What? No…no we can make it. Just hold on." His voice was straining.

"Just let me go, Commander." I forced a smile on my face.

"I can't. I can't let you go." He was desperate. Can't have that.

"Leave me here. So you can live…live for humanity. The reapers…" I gasped. I was slowly slipping away.

Silently, he lowers me to the ground, guilt evident on his face. But he stops suddenly in midair of dropping me. "No Shepard. Go now…for me. Do it…for me. Please…" I was begging like a idiot. Begging for him to go…_please go now Shepard. _

I felt the ground beneath me and I smiled happily. _He did it._

"I'll see you Miss Lawson?"

"I'll…see you Commander…Shepard." He grinned but I could see the pain behind it.

Shepard started sprinting once more, he lost precious time on me. _Silly him…_

It felt like time was slowing down as Shepard leaped toward Joker and the Normandy. But he failed. He was hanging, both his arms grasping the edge. I harshly inhaled another failing breath. Joker reached down toward him, holding his hand out to him. The turian was providing covering fire for them. As Shepard locked hands with his, a stray shot hit Joker. I gasped, slowly making my head move back behind me. The collectors were almost toward me…and him.

I turned even more slowly back toward the Normandy. Shepard's fingertips were barely hanging onto the edge now. The turian looked down at him and practically flew down toward Shepard. But I could see Shepard's dangerous smile from here. He let go.

Commander Shepard let go. I could hear the turian's exclaims and Joker's crying 'No'. Whatever Shepard said before really impacted him even more. But all I could focus on now was the empty space that Shepard was just at a few seconds ago. Shepard was gone.

I could feel something wet against my cheeks other than my stray blood. Tears. Using all the strength I could muster, I strained my body to crawl forward. Closer to the edge, I could still see Shepard falling. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

I want to die with you.

And I did. I jerked my body forward with one more push and I was free falling. Falling toward Shepard. Falling toward my imminent death. Falling toward my fate. His words echoed softly in my mind.

_I'll see you Miss Lawson?_

Yeah…you'll see me Commander Shepard.


End file.
